[danilocampos]

That's a big when. But in the end, NFC is a hardware issue. Square is adding the most value on the software and financial side of the equation. If anything, Square strikes me as the best positioned party, other than Apple, to capitalize on NFC once it sees some broad adoption.

If Apple makes the NFC APIs private, though, that could put the hurt on Square given their heavy iOS investment.

[roc]

How would a private NFC API be any different than the non-existent stripe reader on the iphones? Should NFC (finally) start to catch on, couldn't Square just add an NFC module and continue to pipe data in via the headphone jack?

[dangrossman]

Square would just build an NFC reader into the Square hardware. The phone doesn't know what's being transmitted down its headphone jack, right?

[danilocampos]

Sure!

But Square enjoys a tremendous user experience advantage. It's easier for everyone to use.

Now, in my theoretical universe where Apple is a bunch of dicks and decides that they'll keep the NFC APIs to themselves, and assuming they run a service that competes with Square...

Who's going to want to attach a plastic weiner to their phone versus just having the "magical, it just works" action that Apple will provide with their service?

Of course, it may well be that Apple wants a usurious fee for their service (30%!) and Square could still compete on price. Still – a world where Square can harness NFC directly on an Apple device is a much better deal for them than one where they can't.

[tomjen3]

If Apple makes the NFC APIs private it is only going to hurt them, since they are open on Android.